KENT & HELEN MARKT TRAILS TO LOWER CATARACT FALLS

KENT & HELEN MARKT TRAILS TO LOWER CATARACT FALLS 

Hike Date:  Saturday, September 12, 2026

Hikeleader:  Gary Weiss   gary@sfhiking.com   415 279-5570

SF Meeting Location: Whole Foods;  2001 Market St. @ Dolores (on the Dolores St. side); parking on the street or below. Please only show up at Whole Foods if you've arranged to meet your ride or driver there.

Carpooling Meeting Times:  SF OR Rockridge BART: 9:00 AM, departing shortly afterwards.

Rating: Level 3 

Mileage:  7.5 miles

Elevation Gain: 950'

Description: I had planned an entirely different route for this hike, but realized that it may have been the wrong hike for warm weather.  This hike is over 95% in the shade - mostly redwoods - and is utterly gorgeous from start to finish.  The one unusual thing, at least for me, is that it's an "out and back" hike, meaning that we return the same way we came. 
Starting at Bon Tempe Dam we'll walk alongside Alpine Lake on the Kent Trail.  In 2+ miles it becomes Helen Markt Trail; this takes us to the lower falls through beautiful redwood forests, passing the drinkable Broko Spring.  Once we get to the pool with the falls we can can wander up and down a bit to see more of the creek.  It's a very dramatic area.
It's been many years since the Club has visited this part of Cataract as parking at the trailhead is extremely limited, especially on weekends.

Bring / Wear:  Please bring water, lunch, sturdy hiking shoes and poles if you use them.  And chocolate!

Weather Policy:  Check with hikeleader in the event of questionable weather.

Trailhead Meeting Place:  Take US 101 to the San Anselmo/Sir Francis Drake Blvd. exit. Stay on SF Drake for a bit over 5 miles. After passing a tiny gas station on the left there will be a quick left onto Pacheco and an immediate right onto Broadway. At the first Stop sign go left onto Bolinas Rd. Continue for about a mile until you see a large sign on the left that says: Lake Lagunitas, Alpine Lake, Bon Tempe Lake... Turn left here.  At the pay station pay $8 then continue on the road to the first (dirt) road on the right.  Take this for a while until you see a large parking area on the left.  If it's full you can either wait until someone leaves or continue on the road to the parking area at the end - then return.
Google Maps Link

(If you'd prefer to avoid paying the $8 entrance fee and drive in fewer cars we can meet in Fairfax on the way to the trailhead.  Let me know if you'd be interested in doing this.)

Trailhead Meeting Time:  10:00 AM, departing at 10:15 AM.

Total driving distance, there and back: SF: 48 miles; Rockridge 58 miles .